Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933) was a Japanese
Quaker diplomat, agriculturist, and educator who sought to act as an emissary
of understanding between Japan and Western nations. He was born in Morioka,
Japan, in the waning days of feudal Japan and became a Christian during his
studies in Sapporo. He was further educated at Tokyo University and in 1884
became one of the first Japanese students to study in the United States. He
joined the Society of Friends in 1886, and in 1891, he married Mary Patterson
Elkinton, a Quaker from a prominent Philadelphia family, under the care of
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Orthodox). This marriage was highly controversial
at the time and against the wishes of both families. Mary P. Elkinton
(1857-1938) was the daughter of Joseph S. and Malinda (Patterson) Elkinton. The
Elkinton family was prominently involved in social causes. After the W.W.I,
Nitobe became Under Secretary-General to the League of Nations in Geneva,
Switzerland, a post he held until 1926. He later returned to Japan where he
held government positions and served as Chairman of the Institute of Pacific
Relations. A state funeral was held in Japan attended by 3,000 people. and in
1984, his portrait was selected for the 5,000 Japanese yen note. He is highly
respected as an internationalist, an important individual who helped in the
transition of Japan to a modern society, as well as pioneer educator and
spiritual man. The collection chiefly contains secondary biographical material
concerning Inazo Nitobe and his wife Mary Patterson (Elkinton) Nitobe and their
correspondence with the Elkinton family (1890-1938). It also contains some
Nitobe writings and speeches and miscellaneous material.

Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933) was a Japanese Quaker diplomat,
agriculturist, and educator who sought to act as an emissary of understanding
between Japan and Western nations. He was born in Morioka, Japan, in the waning
days of feudal Japan, a descendant of samurai, and became a Christian during
his studies in Sapporo. He was further educated at Tokyo University and in 1884
became one of the first Japanese students to study in the United States, first
at Allegheny College in Pa. and then at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md. He
joined the Society of Friends in 1886, and in 1891, he married Mary Patterson
Elkinton, a Quaker from a prominent Philadelphia family, under the care of
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Orthodox). This marriage was highly controversial
at the time and against the wishes of both families. Mary P. Elkinton
(1857-1938) was the daughter of Joseph S. and Malinda (Patterson) Elkinton. The
Elkinton family was prominently involved in social causes in Philadelphia,
Pa.

After the W.W.I, Nitobe became Under Secretary-General to the League
of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, a post he held until 1926. He later returned
to Japan where he held government positions and served as Chairman of the
Institute of Pacific Relations. The Nitobes' only child died in infancy, and
they adopted two children: Inazo Nitobe's nephew, Yoshio, and a daughter,
Kotoko, a distant relative. Nitobe died in British Columbia, Canada, in 1933
while representing Japan at a the Fifth Conference of the Institute of Pacific
Relations. A state funeral was held in Japan attended by 3,000 people. and in
1984, his memory was honored when his portrait was selected for the 5,000
Japanese yen note. He is highly respected as an internationalist, an important
individual who helped in the transition of Japan to a modern society, as well
as pioneer educator and spiritual man.

Scope and content

This collection contains the papers of Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933),
Japanese Quaker diplomat, agriculturist, and educator who sought to act as an
emissary of understanding between Japan and Western nations. He is highly
respected as an internationalist, an important individual who helped in the
transition of Japan to a modern society, as well as pioneer educator and
essayist. It includes chiefly biographical articles concerning Inazo Nitobe and
his wife, Mary P. (Elkinton) Nitobe, family correspondence, writings and
speeches, and some miscellaneous material.

Arrangement

The collection is divided into four series

Biographical (mostly
articles concerning Inazo and Mary P. Nitobe

Correspondence, 1890-1997

Writings and speeches

Miscellaneous

Administrative and Other Descriptive Information

Restrictions

Most of the Nitobe correspondence has been microfilmed. Access is
through microfilm when available. Collection is open for research.

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library All
requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted
in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Friends
Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to
include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be
obtained by reader.

Nitobe, Inazo. What the League of Nations Has Done and Is Doing.
Lecture at the International University, Brussels, 1920

Sasaki, Takamura (Ko). "America's NITOBE INAZO, TV Director,
Iwate Broadcasting Co., Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan (Nitobe's birthplace).
Published May 15, 1985. (253 pp.) (This book describes the making of the video
tape, Bridge across the Pacific by the I.B.C., shown on TV in Japan during
the winter 1983-84. Mr. Sasaki visited FHL photographed some of the documents
in the Nitobe collection.)

1941/11/5, "Religion of Dr. Nitobe,
memorial address by T. Yanaihara, at Friends Meeting House. English translation
by Yuri Hayashi of the last chapter (pp.103-128) of T. Yanaihara's Uchimura
Kanzo and Nitobe Inazo, 1948, published by Nisson Shobo.

Correspondence and related papers. 20 original manuscripts on
fragile paper, microfilmed. NOTE: Joseph
Scotton Elkinton (1830-1905) was the father of Mary Elkinton Nitobe; Joseph
Elkinton (1859-1920) was his son and her brother; and Joseph Passmore Elkinton
(1887-1971) was the son of Joseph Elkinton (1859-1920). David Cope Elkinton (b. 1915) is the son of Joseph P. Elkinton.
Yoshio Nitobe (1892-1935) and Kotoko Nitobe (1890-1985), adopted children of Inazo and Mary Nitobe, were married in 1917
and had two children, Takeko and Maketo. Takeko married Eilyn Katoh, and they had a daughter, Yukiko.

Inazo Nitobe, 1890-1926, Sent to:

Box 2

Sarah W. Elkinton

1890 2mo 21

Box 2

Beulah M. Rhoads

1891 1mo 4

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1891 4mo 23

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1891 8mo 22

(with typed copy)

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1892 4mo 21

(typed copy)

Box 2

Joseph Scotton Elkinton

1892 9mo 14

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1893 2mo 19

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1894 11mo 23

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1895 3mo 22

Box 2

Joseph Elkinton

1895 7mo 4

Box 2

Ragged School Account

1895 12mo 31

Box 2

Also includes a District Nurse Account.

Joseph Elkinton

1896 1mo

Box 2

Extracted from a letter written by Inazo Nitobe
to his wife"

1896 8mo

Box 2

Joseph Scotton Elkinton

1899 2mo 15

Box 2

Elizabeth C. Dunn

1900 1mo 30

Box 2

Robert Hoag

1904 8mo 11

Box 2

Anna H. Chace

1919 8mo 12

(typed copy)

Box 2

J. Passmore Elkinton

1922 6mo 2

Box 2

[Richard R.?] Wood

1926 10mo 7

Box 2

Correspondence

1890-1926

(photocopies)

Box 2

Photocopies of preceeding correspondence.

Mary Elkinton Nitobe, 1891-1938

72 letters, mostly to her family and friends in America. Fragile originals: Have been photocopied and the photocopies integrated
into other folders. Most also have been microfilmed

Letters sent, mostly to her family and friends in
America

1891-1892

Box 2

Letters sent

1893-1903

Box 2

Letters sent

1904-1905

Box 2

Letters sent

1922-1935 and n.d.

Box 2

Letters sent

1891-1935

Box 2

Letters received

1904-1938 and n.d.

Box 2

Bound volume containing manuscript copies of letters
sent

1891-1892

(microfilmed)

Box 2

Note: letters are
on pp. 100-282, but pp. 13-89 are Sarah W. Passmore's lesson book for Geology
and Art, Westtown School, 1878-1880.

Kotoko Nitobe, 1950-1991

Letters sent

1950-1962

Box 3

Letter to David Elkinton
and correspondence Yoshio
Katoko

1973

Box 3

Takeko Nitobe Katoh and Eilyn Katoh,
correspondence

1953-1991

Box 3

J. Passmore Elkinton, 1904-1970

Correspondence

1904-1935

(microfilmed)

Box 3

Correspondence

1938-1949

(microfilmed)

Box 3

Correspondence

1954-1970 and n.d.

Box 3

David C. Elkinton, 1982-1994

Correspondence

1982-1994 and n.d.

Box 4

Correspondence

1983-1985

Box 4

Correspondence

1984-1987

Box 4

Miscellaneous

1911-1951 n.d.

Box 4

Ser. 3. Writings and Speeches, 1906, 1932, n.d.

Inazo Nitobe, Radio Addresses

1932

(microfilmed)

Box 4

Inazo Nitobe, miscellaneous

Box 4

Mary Elkinton Nitobe, printed articles

Box 4

Ser. 4. Miscellaneous, 1888-1984, n.d.

Pictures of Inazo Nitobe and family

Box 4

Photos, Takeko Nitobe and Eilyn Katoh

ca. 1953, 1987-88

Box 4

Medal, Japanese Red Cross

1888

Box 4

Memorials to Inazo Nitobe

(memorials)

Box 4

Description of Nitobe's Mt. Fugi painting, from Yoma Abiko

1941

Box 4

Stamp and first day issue

1952

Box 4

Commemorative stamp (10 yen); First Day Issue cover, issued October 16, 1952, 4"x6.5", showing portrait of Inazo Nitobe on
the stamp and a photo of him at his desk on the cover. 20 mint stamps included in packet.

Title Pages Used in Microfilming Nitobe
Material

Box 4

"Bridge Across the Pacific," script for Japanese television documentary first broadcasted December 1983.

1983

Box 4

Memorial Garden and Asian
Centre, Vancouver, B.C., visited by David and Marian Elkinton

1983

Box 4

Bank note (5000 Yen)
bearing Nitobe's
portrait

1984

Box 4

Map of Tungchwan District

Box 4

Postcards (7) and Iwate Prefecture scenes (6) and
others (2).

Box 4

Brochures (3) in Japanese: Nitobe Museums,
Marioka.

Box 4

Frederick Leman Whelen, calling card

Box 4

Letter to William and Eleanor Elkinton from Hakodate

3/2/1891

Box 4

Photocopies of transfer correspondence of Montsuki
(ceremonial robe with family crest) of Inazo Nitobe to Morioka Museum of Great
Predecessors, Morioka, Japan

Box 4

Includes 12 color slides of the robe. [2 color prints
(1) of robe and (2) of J. Passmore Elkinton's letter of explanation are on
display at the museum.]